Alexandria
by Nikki1212
Summary: She was a happy child, up until a certain point in her life where her heart was broken and she was left to grow up a broken woman with hate's poison plaguing her heart. Ezio/OC
1. Tainted and Burned Innocence

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed II is a product of UbiSoft. All OC characters are mine, though :)**

**A/N: **_The first few parts of this fic are the OC's story and Ezio will be coming in a while. Please be patient! :) _

Chapter 1 : Tainted and Burned Innocence

* * *

It was an algid morning in Venice, the brisk wind making people shudder under their thin layer of clothing. Though it was nearing the end of Spring, mornings were still chilly and foggy as the sun rose above the horizon. It was silent in the market place, something that was not uncommon. Peasants worked about setting up their businesses for a busy day's work, setting up vending carts, and bustling about quietly - paying no attention to others around them. It was a silent compliance between them, not one word uttered loudly as if it were taboo and whispers were spoken quickly as to not disturb the peace. If one was to speak during these budding hours of the day, they were quickly hushed and shooed away. City guards walked about and stood where they were stationed, grumbling about waking up at an ungodly hour. Other guards were on patrol at the gates. Most nobles were not expected to be awake at this hour, opting to stay in their warm beds and staying in slumber's luscious embrace until it was time for them to rise. Other nobles with more important matters to attend to than sleep were in their private studies, reading letters and no doubt writing their own documents.

Such was how a certain Signore Demetri Conti was found by his young 11 year old daughter, Alexandria Conti. He was a man in his late forties, his brown hair greying at the edges, and the wrinkles in his face disclosed his age. His sharp blue eyes displayed intelligence. His straight nose, educated tongue, and his demeanor demanded authority. He must have been quite a handsome man in his younger years. His daughter's Greek name of course raised questions, and rumours of her true origin quickly spread, but they were silenced out of fear of what would happen if such a powerful man were to learn of what was being said. Demetri, however, was a kind man and knew of what was being said, but paid no heed to them and disciplined no one.

Alexandria was born in Greece, and though she was full blooded Italian, most viewed her as Greek and strongly disliked her for being a foreigner. Her father and then pregnant mother went on a business trip to Greece where she quickly went into labor two days into their stay, where Alexandria was born. They chose her name after the Great Alexander who created the city of Alexandria in Egypt.

"_Papà_?", a soft, small voice called silently from behind his study's door as gentle knocks came in contact with its wood. Alexandria meekly poked her head through the door and smiled at her father and cheerfully said,

"Good morning, Papà!"

Demetri could not help but smile at his daughter. Her auburn colored locks bounced around her face as her blue-green eyes lit up with mirth and excitement for the installation of a new day. She awkwardly looked around the room while staying at the entrance to the study, not knowing whether her father would welcome her in or not.

Her father's study was big, yes, and so ornately and beautifully designed, she knew her mother must have hired some help in achieving the finished result. Bookshelves lined the walls, portraits of deceased relatives were hung in respect, velvet burgundy colored curtains surrounded the windows-giving the room an elegant look. Intricate carvings in mahogany wood lined his desk, furniture, and fireplace. She inhaled the study's scent, which smelled of fresh ink and parchment and her father's favorite cologne, and she knew she had intruded on some important business. She looked up to see him viewing her and she flashed him the best dimpled smile she could muster.

"Oh! _Mi dispiace_ for disturbing you father! I did not know you would be awake so early doing paperwork! Forgive me for intruding", she quietly yelled across the room. Demetri chuckled and leaned back against his comfortable recleiner and said back, "It is quite alright, _mio caro_. I was just finishing this document for a friend of mine, and I just need to sign here.." he dipped his feathered quill inside the ink bottle and scribbled his signature on the parchment, "..and I am done with this morning's work!"

"_Che gioia_!", Alexandria quietly exclaimed and then added, "Now you can spend time with me! Your _bambina_!"

Demetri gave her a soft smile and ushered her closer, so that she could hear him better. She complied joyously and leaned in to hear what he had to say.

"I always have time to spend with my dear bambina, but she is always running around Venezia causing mischief with the boys like one herself! How can I ever hope to grasp her attention when she is more focused on scaling rooftops in her brothers' trousers?" Demetri covered his face in mock despair and exasperation and Alexandria giggled.

"Oh but Papá! I would gladly give that up and wear those horrid dresses and shoes Mama buys me to spend time with you!" Alexandria scrunched up her small nose in disgust at the mention of dresses and her father threw back his head and a hearty laugh rumbled in his chest.

"Hmm, I wonder..How will Eliodoro and Niccolo react when they discover that you have been stealing their trousers to disguise yourself as a boy?"

Alexandria's eyes widened in horror and she cried out, "Papa! Please do not tell them! They will take them back and hide them from me! Then they will mock me in front of the town children and I will not have any friends. They will call me_ il ragazzo nel corpo di una ragazza_." Her bottom lip trembled slightly as she tightly grasped her father's doublet.

Her father's eyes softened and he softly clasped her small hands in his, enclosing them completely. "They will do no such thing for I will not utter a word of your disguise, nor will I be telling them where their trousers have been going either." He said and winked.

Alexandria squealed and then threw her arms around her father's neck and cried out, "Oh _grazie_!", before she scurried away quickly to get dressed for her day out with her loving father.

Demetri leaned back once more in his seat and dragged his hands across his face. He was already risking a great deal of scandal by letting his daughter learn how to read and write, and now he's letting her parade around Venice dressed as a boy so she can do whatever she wants. He swore he was going mad and he prayed she stayed out of trouble while she was out on her public endeavors. Sighing, he went back to reading the documents he had splayed about his desk.

* * *

Alexandria sat in her room watching her maids dash about-picking out dresses for her to wear. One maid picked out a particular dress and Alexandria cried out quickly, "Oh no Beatrice! Not that one!". The maid, afraid at the sudden outburst, threw the dress far from her as if it were a leper coming to touch her. It was a gorgeous dress, really. But it was too.. indecent for an eleven year old girl to wear. She hasn't even reached womanhood yet and her mother expects her to wear such a ludicrous thing! She glared at the dresses scattered about her floor. Oh how she detested wearing a dress. Or looking pretty for that matter. She would rather indulge herself in literature and knowledge than powder her face and look beautiful for society. She gagged at the thought.

"Mistress? Are you alright?"

Alexandria was snapped out of her thoughts by the soft voice. The maids were looking at her rather strangely and she realized that she must have been making bizarre expressions while she thought. She smiled shyly at the them and blushed. She looked down and played with the hem of her shirt and she mumbled a barely audible, "_Sì, sto bene. Non ti preoccupare._" Her maids still looked unsure, but continued with their work nonetheless. She was beginning to get bored until she noticed the whithering flowers by her dressing screen.

"I am going to go to the market to get some new flowers to replace those that have died by my own un-nurturing hand." Alexandria declared and the maids jumped at the loud noise. "Let me pray for their poor souls that I have so selfishly taken away! I shall pray that I shall never kill again!", Alexandria continued and was soon on her knees praying with exaggerated movements, making it a most comical scene. The maids giggled and continued with their work. Alexandria laughed, stood up and walked down the hallway that led to her brothers' rooms, careful to avoid them so she could sneak into their room and steal a pair of pants for the day.

Sadly, luck was not on her side. As she turned the corner to get to the eldest brother's room, she bumped into a hard chest and fell back onto her bum. She looked up and noticed the owner of said chest was the eldest of the Conti offspring, Eliodoro. He looked at his little sister with a raised eyebrow. Offhandedly, Alexandria wondered how he did that and tried to raise her own eyebrow. She failed miserably at raising one eyebrow, but was exceptionally well at raising both and making comical facial expressions to go along with them. Eliodoro laughed and helped her up.

"Why is that you are wandering about mine and Niccolò's corridors trying to be inconspicuous?", he asked with a smile. Eliodoro towered over Alexandria and she craned her neck to look at him. He was no doubt, at 20 years old, a very handsome man. While she herself had dark rust colored hair, Eliodoro had light chestnut colored curls that framed his face and made him look like a god among mortals. His sharp, deep blue eyes were just like their father's and he did look a lot like the senior Conti. It was no wonder why people sometimes thought he was Demetri's younger brother. And his hands..she was sure he had broken many hearts with those.

"Well?", Eliodoro prodded, "why are you trying to be a spy in your own house?"

Alexandria opened her mouth to defend herself and threaten him in the process, when she was suddenly interrupted by a female's low moan that drifted into the hallway and reverberated off the walls. It came from her 17 year old brother, Niccolò's, room. She looked up horrified into Eliodoro's face, and she looked back at Niccolò's door -hearing pants and soft whispers now. A sly grin came upon his face as he said, "Ahh, so you have come to see what Niccolò was up to! Shame on you _sorellina_! Give them some privacy!"

Alexandria made a sound of disgust deep in her throat, spun on her heel, and ran away from her laughing brother and the sounds her other brother was causing. Of course she knew her brothers were womanizers, they were handsome men! Niccolò had fair, tanned skin, golden eyes and hair, and a body men envied and admired at the same time. He looked more like their mother, Maddalena, than the rest of his siblings. But Alexandria would also like it very much if her brothers kept their womanizing deeds and female companions away from the house. They got pretty loud on some occasions, keeping her awake all throughout the night sometimes.

She pushed the door that led to the outside of the house open and was greeted by none other than Uberto Alberti. He was one of her father's closest friends, so they have met on some occasions. He lived in Florence, and it was a long ride from there to Venezia. So, when he arrived, he always went straight to her father, did what he went there for, and was gone. So she never had a conversation with him. But, what interest does a grown man have with an eleven year old girl? Alexandria curtsied and said, "Hello Signore Uberto! It has been so long since we were graced by your presence." Alberti laughed and bowed, "Indeed it has Signora Alexandria. Look at how pretty you have gotten!"

She blushed and looked down shyly, noticing the bottle of wine in his hand.

"Are you and father to celebrate this evening?", she asked curiously.

"Hm? Oh! This? Ahh, yes. In fact, I shall be inviting both of your brothers for a drink as well.", something flashed in Alberti's eyes as he spoke. Alexandria couldn't place what it was, but dismissed it as a trickery of the light. She smiled at him, her dimples making her look younger and more innocent, and said, "Well then, Signore Uberto, I must get going to the flower vendor to get some flowers for my room and Papà's study. I shall see you again, yes?"

"But of course Signora Alexandria, you will be most definitely seeing me again."

Again, she smiled and sauntered off to find a flower vendor as she heard her father greet Alberti.

* * *

A while later, Alexandria was walking home with 5 white roses in her hands. She had forgotten to tell the vendor to cut the thorns off, and deeply regretted it now. They were cutting into her hands and were drawing a bit of blood. Holding onto them gingerly, she was careful not to get any onto the pure white petals. Wanting them to be perfect so she could show them to her family.

She had gotten a lesson from the sweet elderly vendor on flowers. She saw Alexandria eyeing the white roses and told her they represented purity, innocence, and silence. She had also said that sometimes flowers spoke the language of the heart better than their voices ever could.

Alexandria was hurriedly walking home to put the roses in a vase full of water so that they could live longer, as she was walking, the word 'murder' reached her ears. Curiosity got the best of her and she slowed down next to the two gossipping women. She strained her ears hoping to catch bits of the conversation.

"...murder..horrible.."

"...who was killed..?"

"...all the men.."

"...assassin..?"

"No..poison.. I believe assassin's don't use poison."

"_Mio Dio, che tragedia_!"

"Ah yes, such handsome boys those two brothers were. They say the poison was in the wine they drank. I wonder who would do such a thing."

"Yes, I wonder who would murder the men of the Conti family."

Alexandria was rooted to the spot in shock, the women glancing at her and walking away. They could have not been talking about her brothers and her father. No! There must be another Conti family in Venice! She clutched the roses in her hands as she ran towards her home-no longer caring if they cut into her flesh or not. She got home and she anxiously pushed through the crowd of curious on lookers to get into her house and prove that there was nothing going on.

The Greek Fates must be damning her, she thought. Damning her for being born on their land and refusing their culture.

Alexandria dropped the bloodstained roses upon seeing the bodies. Her brothers' corpses, her father's pained expression, and she fell to the floor in a broken mess of skirts and tears. She sobbed, she wailed, she screamed in agony at losing those most dear to her. How could it be? Just 3 hours ago she was talking to these men, kidding around and enjoying their presence. How could they be dead in just that short span of time? Her screams of misery left her throat dry and raw. But all the weeping she did seemed to be nothing compared to when her mother came running into her husband's study. Maddalena was a beautiful woman, even when her golden green eyes were wild with distress, her blond hair tousled, and her face pale.

Everyone was suddenly quiet, watching Maddalena. She stepped forward and let out a heart-wrenching wail that seemed to pierce the heavens themselves. She clutched at her heart as she looked at her children's dead faces, far from peaceful. And she cried in anguish when she saw her beloved's contorted face. She wept loudly as she gathered them all up in her arms and held them close to her bosom. Her eyes wild, as she pleaded them to awake soon. And then she whimpered like a kicked dog and started wailing again. Screaming at the gods for torturing her so.

Alexandria was out of tears, her small body too grief-stricken to move. She thought of what had happened. How could this happen? _Who_ would be as cruel as to do this to them? Suddenly, she thought of Uberto Alberti. He had carried a bottle of wine with him when she saw him. Realization dawned on her, she _had_ seen something flash in his eyes. She saw it before, when two men where fighting outside of a _bordello_. The emotion in Uberto Alberti eyes that she could not decipher was recognizable to her as malicious killer intent. She should have known! She could have stopped all of this misery. Alexandria looked tearfully at her scratched and bloody hands, but what could she have done? She was an eleven year old _female _child. She was nothing.

She looked at her mother, who was rocking back and forth. They had long separated her from the corpses of her children and love. And now she was left broken. Alexandria stared at her. Maddalena must have felt the weight of her gaze on her because she looked right at Alexandria. She managed a weak smile and held out her arms.

"I may have lost my sons and my husband, but I cannot forget that I have a daughter. Come to me, _dolcezza_. Let us mourn and pray for them together."

Alexandria crawled into her mother's awaiting arms, neither had any tears to shed for the dead. For they were now soaked up by the carpet beneath them. So, her mother began to pray, a dry sob escaping her lips as she did so. Alexandria looked up at her mother who suddenly looked older than 38. She wonder if she should tell her about Uberto Alberti. But she decided against it. Thinking it would be too much for her to bear. Alberti was also a close friend of her's and the betrayal would kill her.

Alexandria was exhausted, and her head pounded from crying. She was falling into slumber's dark abyss. Yes, she would see Uberto Alberti again one day. This she did not doubt. Her eyes grew heavy and she noticed the white roses that lay discarded on the ground. Her blood was on them. Their scarlet hue tainting the petals' pure white. Their innocence now gone, their purity no more. They have witnessed the horrors of the afternoon's event. And never shall they go back to their original pure selves.

Alexandria watched as a teary eyed maid picked up the roses and threw them into the fire in the fireplace. She watched as they withered as the flames hungrily ate up the rest of the petals' purity. With images of burning petals and tainted innocence in her head, Alexandria finally gave into unconsciousness.

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**A/N : Please read and review ! Chapter 2 will be up soon :) **


	2. Disdain

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed is a product of UbiSoft and does not belong to me**

**A/N: Sorry for the delay in update! I was sick for a while and I had competition on Saturday. Please Enjoy Chapter 2 and please excuse its shortness :P **

* * *

The months after Alexandria's father and brother's murder were difficult. Maddalena fell into a deep depression and Alexandria rarely spoke, both keeping to themselves. Although Alexandria was living with the pain and helplessness of knowing who murdered her kin and not being able to do anything about it, she felt she needed to be strong for her deteriorating mother. She preoccupied herself by doing chores and helping Maddalena with anything she needed. As the days went on, little by little, Maddalena gathered strength from her daughter; slowly reaching closure. She realized that she was being selfish, how could she wallow in her own sorrows and ignore her last child who needed her? She knew that their money supply would not last long, and she could not stay a widow forever. Maddalena would have to remarry, a thought Alexandria did not approve of.

On the third year of her husband's absence absence, Maddalena met a wealthy man named Salvatore Romano. Alexandria thought he was a horrible man, his grin caused chills to run up her spine, and his kind facade disgusted her. Despite Alexandria's attempts of making her see who Salvatore really was, Maddalena fell deeply in love with him-and his money. They were married a year later. An extravagant wedding was thrown and all the nobles of Venice were invited. Including a certain Uberto Alberti. Alexandria could still remember the look in his eyes when he greeted them, and the sinister smile he gave her. He knew she knew he was the murderer. But he also knew she was a woman, and it was her word against his-a man. And because of this, she cursed him with every cell in her being.

Soon after her mother and new step-father were married, Salvatore became cruel and rigid. He rarely allowed Alexandria to go out in public without guards watching her every move, he burned all of her books and prohibited her from further learning. He once caught her secretly reading a book he had missed and severely beat her. Not once during her beating did Maddalena interfere and stood back and watched as her daughter silenced her cries of pain and faced her assailant defiantly. Because of this, Alexandria grew to hate her mother also. How could the woman who birthed her stand as a bystander to her daughter's beating by a man who just recently came into their lives? Although Alexandria knew the punishment would be harsh if Salvatore was to ever find out, she continued to sneak in books to study into her chambers. Her love of learning overcoming her fear of the man. She loved to taunt him with her knowledge, correcting him in everything intellectual, and making him look like a fool in front of his clients. The joy she received from embarrassing him was indescribable and she enjoyed it while it lasted, seeing as how he always punished her after.

* * *

It was a beautiful day in Venezia, the birds were singing, the flowers were in bloom, and the sky was clear with white clouds-creating a serene environment. However, it was on this day seven years ago that the murders occurred and Alexandria was in mourning. She locked herself in her room and came out only to eat and bathe. The newly acquired maids were curious as to why she was so depressed on such a beautiful day, but the old maids of the household knew and mourned alongside Alexandria for the men that passed before their time.

Alexandria was laying in bed staring up at the ceiling mosaic in her room. It was beautiful, doves were in mid-flight, flowers were in bloom, angels were together in flight, and all were painted by her. Suddenly there came a knock at her door, and she sighed. "Enter!", she called, and a breathless maid came scurrying in. Alexandria eyed her from where she lay. She was one of the new girls that her mother had hired. She was young, perhaps fifteen, and was painfully ordinary. Her black hair and brown eyes were average in Italy, and her body was not something a man would look twice at. But she was kind, that much Alexandria could tell from the blush on her cheeks and the soft smile that played on her lips. Her mother had a cruel idea of hiring unattractive girls to work in their household for fear of her husband being unfaithful to her in their home. But outside of those walls, she knew he was able to do whatever he wished.

"_Mia Signora_, your father desires your presence in his study", the maid said softly.

"He is not my father, and that is not his study", Alexandria muttered under her breath bitterly as she got up from her position on her bed and the maid rushed to her side to help her get ready for her meeting with Salvatore.

Alexandria looked at herself in the mirror and noticed how much she had changed over the years. At 18 years old, she was absolutely beautiful, but she did not flaunt her beauty like most girls. Her auburn hair had gotten lighter in some places, adding blond streaks, and it had also gotten longer-cascading down her back like a fierce waterfall. Her body had changed greatly since she had reached womanhood. She was voluptuous and curvaceous, and was greatly desired by men and envied by women. Her face had also changed over the years. It was less rounded and more angular, and her eyes looked fierce with their deep blue-green that resembled those of a cat. The maid looked at her examining herself and felt unworthy of standing next to such a beautiful being. She sighed and tightened Alexandria's corset, causing said person to gasp as the breath inside her lungs escaped. She mumbled an apology and set about dressing her. She pulled out a deep blue gown with a forest green embroidery and showed it to Alexandria. Alexandria fingered the cloth it was made of and gave an approving nod. The maid slipped it over her head and laced it up tightly. She then handed her a pair of heels the same color as her gown and clipped a diamond necklace around her neck.

The maid stepped back and wondered about what to do about her mistress' hair. Alexandria glanced up at her while she was putting on her shoes and went back to tying the laces around her ankles. Suddenly Alexandria felt the maid working on her hair, hissing as she passed the comb through the entangled locks. The maid started braiding the hair on the both sides of her head, coming together at the back where a bun was made. Abruptly, an older maid by the name of Ambra came into the room, panting.

"_Signora_! Master Salvatore requests your presence at once!"

Alexandria groaned in displeasure and the maid quickly finished up her work, adding a bit of kohl around her eyes and some pink lip stainer. She stood back and admired her work and watched as Alexandria stood up. Alexandria towered over her, Alexandria at 5'6 and she at a mere 5'2, and with the added height of the heels, she looked intimidating as she looked down at her. Alexandria smiled at the maid with perfect pearl white teeth and gave her a kiss on both cheeks, thanked her, and followed Ambra out. The maid stood rooted to her spot, surprised. She then smiled from ear to ear, squealed deep in her throat, and skipped off to complete the rest of her chores.

Alexandria followed Ambra down the long corridor that led to her birth father's study that Salvatore now claimed as his own. Her throat tightened and she fought back the tears that welled behind her now closed eyes. Ambra looked behind her and noticed Alexandria's eyes were closed and was breathing heavily. "_Nobildonna_?", she quietly called to her.

Alexandria's eyes opened, they were glossy and the pain she felt was evident in her eyes. She let out a shaky breath and gave her a weary smile. "_Non ti preoccupare, sto bene_", she reassured her and continued walking ahead. Ambra looked at her departing back, sighed, and followed suit. They were getting closer to the study's entrance and Alexandria visibly tensed. She dreaded being in a room alone with Salvatore, he was unbelievably cruel behind closed doors. Her heels clicked as she slowed down and Ambra's scuffling made by her slippers stopped. She looked behind her and noticed Ambra was a few feet away. She raised a questioning eyebrow and Ambra gave her an apologetic smile.

"I cannot follow you there _Signora. Mi dispiace_." She said, then turned around and walked away to finish her chores.

Ambra sighed and turned to knock on the door. "_Entrare_!", Salvatore's booming voice called and she entered. She looked around the study and painful memories started flooding her mind. Oh, how she missed those days where her father would let her sit on his lap and teach her how to read. And the days where she would sneak in and lay flowers on his desk and he would lay flowers on her bed. But that was in the past, and she wondered when she would move on.

Salvatore looked his step-daughter up and down. She was a gorgeous young woman, but she resembled her father too much for his liking. Ah, yes. He was close friends with Demetri Conti, but no one knew except themselves, and he intended to keep it that way. Demetri must be turning in his grave, Salvatore thought. After Demetri was murdered, Salvatore saw it as an opportunity to get closer to his attractive widowed wife and claim her-and her fortune-as his. But he had to do something about Demetri's rebellious daughter who was now looking at him with disdain. She was too independent, too intelligent, and she needed to be tamed.

"You needed to speak with me?" Contempt was clear in her soft voice, and she gave him a strained smile.

He laughed at her attempt to fool him with her docile attitude and Alexandria looked confused for a moment before her eyebrows furrowed and anger flashed in her eyes for his mockery.

"Well?", she spat, and Salvatore crossed over to her in quick strides and struck her in the face. She silenced her cry of pain and blinked away the tears.

"You will speak to me with respect, insolent child."

Alexandria held her head up high and ignored the stinging on her right cheek. A bruise was beginning to form on her pretty face and it would be sore in a while. Salvatore turned his back to her and walked to his desk and sat down. Alexandria found herself wishing him death, and it surprised her. She never had such cruel thoughts and it was something new to her. She looked at him once more with an inquiring glare and he glared at her right back.

"I asked for your presence to discuss something of great importance, _mio caro_." He said, and she felt nauseated at the words of affection he used to taunt her. "You are at a marriageable age and I find it necessary that you marry soon. Appropriately, a high ranking Templar brother of mine has asked for your hand in marriage, and you _will_ marry him. You _will_ fulfill your duty as a wife, and you _will _give yourself to the Templar cause."

Alexandria felt like she had no words to speak, no breath to breathe. She felt distressed, her father had promised her he would let her marry out of love, and this man, this _thing _in front of her was going to marry her off to someone she does not love, to someone she hasn't even met!

"_What_?", she cried and Salvatore glared at her as a sign to shut her mouth, but she continued. "I will NOT marry a stranger to help your ridiculous Templar brotherhood! I will marry the man I love and not out of business!" Her voice did not falter when Salvatore stood up and she resumed speaking,"You have no right to marry me off to some disgusting bigot who doe-".

Salvatore cut her off by wrapping his fingers around her neck, cutting off her air supply, and slamming her into a wall. Her hands clawed at his own, eyes wide, in an attempt to get him off her.

"Now listen to me, you disgraceful and pathetic excuse of a woman, you will do as I wish without fail. Your little act of rebellion will end, and if you so much as attempt to defy me, I will make sure the rest of your life is a living hell." He spat at her and let her go.

Alexandria tenderly grasped her neck and gulped down as much air as she could as she slid to the floor. Tears of anger spilled out of her eyes, kohl smearing her face. There were red welts forming on her neck in the shape of fingers, adding to the ones on her cheek. Salvatore looked at her and cursed himself. There was no way he could present her to the man who wished to marry her looking like that. They would have to wait. With his back turned to her, he said,

"In one week's time, you will meet your suitor. And in one month, you two shall marry and join our families. You are dismissed."

Alexandria glowered at the back of his head and walked out with as much dignity as she could. The angry bruises saying what she would not.

* * *

When she reached her room, the maid from earlier was there along with Ambra. Upon seeing her, they gasped and rushed to her side. Alexandria pushed them away and asked them to leave. They unwillingly complied and walked out of her room. Waiting just outside of her door in case she needed them.

Once they were out, Alexandria went into a fit of seething rage. She grabbed whatever she could get her hands on and threw them at the walls, the ceiling, the floor, everything. She screamed and pulled at her hair and then crumbled into a sobbing heap on the floor. Her maids came in, frightened, and gasped at the destruction in the room. Maddalena rushed in and her eyes widened at what she saw. She angrily walked to Alexandria's side, lifted her up, and promptly slapped her across the face, causing Alexandria to hiss in pain. Alexandria looked at her mother, hurt, and rubbed her stinging cheek.

"You are a woman, and you will fulfill your duties with grace, honor, and obedience. It is your job to bring our families together and you will accept it without fail." Madalenna said and watched as her only child looked at her angrily. She spun on her heel and walked away, heels angrily clicking away.

Alexandria let her maids undress and bathe her, too emotionally exhausted to do them herself. Seeing as it was still day out, they attempted to dress her in a light weight gown, but Alexandria refused. All she wanted to do was sleep. She didn't care whether it was midnight or dawn, she just wanted to fall into slumber's embrace. She slipped on a nightgown and climbed into bed, dismissing the maids as she laid her head on the feather-stuffed pillow. At the sound of the closing door, she closed her eyes and began to weep for her crushed chance at love. She somehow knew she would never love this man. However, she would NOT let herself be tamed. She was rebellious, cunning, and would not let her freedom be taken away by a man. With new determination and hate in her heart, she closed her eyes and gave into darkness.

* * *

**A/N: It was sooo much shorter than the last chapter but I promise the next one will be longer! And yeah, Alexandria seems very dramatic in this chappie :P **


	3. Alone in Her Head

**_Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed II is a product of UbiSoft and in no way mine. All OCs belong to me. _**

**A/N: I'm soooooo sorry for the long wait! Forgive me, loves. You guys keep me going :) **

* * *

The Conti, now Romano, manor was silent with no sound except that of maids preparing for the dinner that was coming soon. It has been a week since Alexandria's encounter with Salvatore, and she's been avoiding him ever since. The bruises on her porcelain skin were not completely gone, but that would have to do. She was supposed to meet her betrothed that evening and she had no intention of speaking to her step-father until then. She cursed his name with every fiber of her being and wished he would just disappear forever. Her mother, however, was perfectly content being married to the dreaded man. Alexandria did not know how, or when, her mother became so cruel. No longer caring about her daughter, but having her own self interest at heart. Sometimes, Alexandria found herself wishing her mother to an early grave, something she was not particularly proud of.

At this moment, Alexandria was laying in bed, breathing steadily and playing with the edges of her sheets. Her nimble fingers traced the intricate pattern stitched into the silky fabric and she sighed. She burrowed her head into them and thought of the luxury she was able to enjoy while others most likely slept in rough blankets and clothes. Suddenly, she felt guilty. Why was she, of all people, chosen to live such a life when others, like Ambra, deserved it more? How could she be unhappy with everything she has when others have barely enough? How could she be so selfish? Her self guilt accompanied by self hate clenched at her heart and caused her to silently weep. Just then, Ambra walked in followed by three other maids and Alexandria quickly wiped away her tears. She sat up in bed and straightened out her sheets.

"Yes?", she spoke in a strong voice with no adumbration of her emotional turmoil. Ambra motioned the other three maids forward and spoke, "Signora Maddalena has asked us to prepare you for your meeting with Signore Salvatore and she has asked to dress you in your finest gown and most lustruous diamonds."

Alexandria groaned and lifted herself off of bed. "Then I presume you wish to bathe me?" She said as she stretched her numb limbs and sighed happily as her joints popped back into place. Ambra looked puzzled for a moment and her lips parted to speak, but another maid spoke first.

"If you do not wish us to bathe you, Signora, then we will let you do it yourself. Or, if you do not wish to bathe at all, then we will dress you."

Ambra turned around and shushed her and the girl sunk behind the other two maids. Alexandria looked her over and recognized her as the girl who dressed her the week before. She was beginning to wonder where she went, but figured she was just doing chores. She pushed her hair away from her eyes and spoke silently, but firmly.

"I shall bathe myself in the bath house," she said, and added when the maids began to get her things ready for the bath, "alone."

The maids stopped and looked at her, mouths agape. Never had their lady asked them to bathe alone. She always enjoyed their company and it was quite odd that she preferred to bathe detached in the confinement of the bath house. But her wish was their command, and no matter how many times they desired to protest against her requests, they could not and just simply kept their mouths shut. Even so, they still prepared her belongings and handed them to her. Alexandria smiled, thanked them, and dismissed them. Ambra lingered a bit with concern flourishing in her eyes and Alexandria gave her a reassuring smile and softly encouraged her to leave her be. With a defeated sigh, Ambra left Alexandria's room. There was no use arguing with that girl, she was too stubborn to be strayed from her decisions.

Once the maids were out, Alexandria hastily gathered up her possessions and rushed to the bath house. She wanted to avoid her step-father and was sure Salvatore was walking around the manor that evening-making sure everything was in order for their visitors. Alexandria walked down the hallways and rolled her eyes at the thought. How distasteful. Salvatore was a man who showed the public one face and his family another. She believed that if he were to be two-faced, he should at least make one of them handsome. She giggled to herself at that and resumed walking.

"What, may I ask, are you laughing at, _piccola signora_?" (Little Lady)

Alexandria froze mid-step at the sound of Salvatore's voice, eyes wide. She tensed and regained her composure, eyes glaring intensely at the door just metres away that granted her freedom to the bath house outside. She heard Salvatore's heavy foot steps getting closer and she cursed at the wooden exit that was so close, and yet so far away. She wasn't that far from it and she contemplated how many large strides would get her there inconspicuously. Salvatore seemed to know her thoughts and stepped in between her and the door, blocking her path, and bringing her chances of escaping to minuscule.

"I asked you a question," he said dryly with a grin Alexandria just wanted to slap off.

"I was just laughing at a thought, Signore," she said with an artificial smile. Then she added, "But, pardon me Signore, but I need to go get ready for our dinner guests tonight. It would be a shame if I were to be late because you felt the need to converse."

Salvatore scowled at her and raised his arm to slap her across the face for her insolence. Alexandria flinched but kept her eyes locked on his own. He growled and lowered his arm. He figured he could not hit her today for her bruises from the previous week were not completely healed, he did not wish to add fresh ones. He spun on his heel and disappeared down the hall. Alexandria let out a breath she did not know she was holding, and then continued her journey to the warm waters that awaited her.

She slipped off her slippers before walking into her own private bath house, the cool marble floor causing chills to go up her spine and goose-flesh to rise on her arms. The air around her was warm, the sun's rays shined through the curtains covering the windows. She peeled off her dress, tossed it to the side, and slowly dipped herself into the steaming bath water. Alexandria sighed contently with her eyes closed as the water soothed her tense muscles. She dunked her entire head under the clear water and loved the hollow silence that followed. Oh how she wished life was like this. Where everything was calm and silence was always. Unfortunately, the moment of peace could not last as her oxygen supply was diminishing and she raised out of the water with a gasp. She hurriedly bathed herself with a lilac scented oil. Although she did not like the idea of being married off to a complete stranger, she was indeed curious to see who he was. She wondered if he was handsome, and if he was kind. So then maybe, just maybe, she could learn to love him. But there was a doubt deep inside that kept her from believing it was possible.

Alexandria hopped out of the water and dried herself off with a towel she found hanging on the wall. She then cursed herself as she remembered she did not bring clothes to change into to go back to her bedroom. She shrugged and just simply put on the dress she took off before. She slipped her wet feet into her slippers, gathered her belongings, and briskly walked back to her room. She prayed to the Gods that Salvatore would not cross her path, and it seems her prayers were answered when she arrived at her chambers without any confrontation or trouble. No sooner had she walked in, her maids began to fuss about her. They sat her down on a cushioned chair and began to untangle her wet hair. Alexandria whimpered and hissed as the comb got caught in a knot in her hair and yelped when the maid yanked the comb through. The maid apologized and Alexandria grunted in response.

Soon, they had her dressed in a deep forest green gown with chestnut colored embroidery. The laces of the corset around her midsection were also chestnut colored and were painfully tight, but it complimented her shape. She had a diamond necklace with a large emerald pendant that rested over the valley of her breasts. It was a stunning piece of jewelery, her biological father had given it to her for her 16th birthday. Although he died, he left in his will that Ambra give it to her; and it was now Alexandria's most prized possession. She had on some shoes and elbow high gloves that were the same color as the dress and her silky, long hair was braided then pinned up. Her bangs were too short to tie up-she experimented with cutting her hair when she was younger and they never grew long enough-so they left them out. Overall, she looked stunning.

Word came soon that Salvatore's guests had arrived, and Alexandria became nervous. They went straight to his study and requested her prescence. For what, she wasnt sure, but she knew it had something to do with the marriage. Ambra guided her towards the study's entrance, following closely behind. Alexandria was grateful for Ambra's support and cared for her dearly. When they reached the door, Ambra placed a hesitant hand on Alexandria's upper arm.

"Alexandria," she said softly, "please, no matter what Signore Salvatore says or does, you are very special. Do not let him bring you down."

She smiled and pecked Alexandria on the cheeks, and softly nudged her towards the door, turning herself in the process. She walked away and Alexandria found herself wishing for her support once more. She heard three different male voices, one of which she recognized to be her step-father's. She took a deep breath, pushed open the door and walked through. All voices stopped as they gazed upon her. Her eyes locked on Salvatore's. For some reason, she was afraid to look upon the other two men who stared lecherously at her slender frame and she refused to look at them. She greeted Salvatore as she curtsied, and unavoidably did the same for the other two.

Alexandria's eyes first landed on the eldest man. She noticed, with a smirk, that he was well fed, and had a nicely trimmed beard. He had a sharp nose, rosebud lips, and light brown hair. He wore a doublet that was undoubtedly too small for a man his size. His steel blue eyes were intense and filled with approval as he looked her up and down. She looked away with hidden disgust and she gazed at the youngest. She faintly registered that he wasn't as ugly as she thought, but was ruggedly handsome. His eyes locked on her own and she was taken aback at how fierce the desire in them shone. His eyes travelled down her body as she curtsied, and paused for a moment on her breasts. He grinned and ruffled his wavy black hair.

"E 'un piacere di incontrarmi con voi, signori," (it's a pleasure to meet you, sirs) she spoke softly and then regarded Salvatore, "You requested my prescence father?"

She felt nauseated at the affectionate word-no, lie-she used to address him. His lips formed into a smile and he stepped out from behind his desk.

"Ah, yes, mio caro. I would like to introduce you to your suitor Paolo Lombardi, and his father GianCarlo Lombardi," he said as his arm swept over the two.

The men bowed and Paolo took her hand in his own and brushed his lips over her knuckles. They were rough and coarse, Alexandria noted with distaste.

"Il piacere è tutto mio, signora bella," (the pleasure is all mine, beautiful) he said as he straightened up to his original tall stance. His attempt to flatter her didn't exactly work, but she felt he was kind, even if he did seem like a pervert, so she smiled at him. Salvatore clapped his hands together as a way to regain their attention and gave them a toothy grin.

"Now, to discuss the marriage of these youths," he said and GianCarlo immediately brightened up.

"Ah, yes! Of course! My son, Paolo, is now 20 years old and he has been looking for a wife for some time now. But, it looks like we have found the perfect woman for him. I must say, Salvatore, your daughter is absolutely breathtaking," GianCarlo said as he smiled at Alexandria who shyly smiled back.

Salvatore looked at his step daughter and bitterly agreed with his Templar Brother. Alexandria _was_ breathtaking. She was a woman who was educated and appropriately had enough pride for all of Venice. At 18 years of age, she had surpassed her mother in beauty, something Maddalena was proud of, but also envied. Her presence called for attention and when someones eyes landed on her form, it was impossible to tear their gaze away.

"Thank you GianCarlo. Though, I believe she resembles her mother more," Salvatore said.

Alexandria angrily came to the conclusion that he had not told them that he was not her biological father. She opened her mouth to speak and correct him, but Salvatore shot her look that spoke of unimaginable pain if she were to open her mouth, so she held her tongue.

"Nonsense Salvatore! She looks exactly like you!"

At this, Alexandria made a sound of disgust deep in her throat which caused the men to look at her. She disguised it with a cough, smiled at them and apologized. Salvatore looked at her suspiciously and she shrugged and gave him a coy smile. He ignored her and resumed speaking to GianCarlo and Paolo. She did not like how they were talking about her as if she was not there, but there was nothing she could do. Minutes passed and she barely registered when they began to sign her rights and life away.

"Then it is done, Alexandria and Paolo shall marry in one week's time."

* * *

At dinner, the men ate heartily and Alexandria picked at her food. Ambra made sure to make her favorite, and she greatly appreciated it, but she did not have an appetite. Salvatore insisted she sit next to Paolo and he attempted many times to strike up a conversation with her, but she discouraged him with blunt answers and blank stares. If her "father" wanted her to play the part of an airhead housewife, then she would. Paolo turned to her once more and patted her hand reassuringly. She turned her head to look at him and was surprised to see genuine concern in his eyes. She returned the smile and squeezed his hand. That seemed to be enough for him, seeing as how he turned around and began speaking to his father once more. She was ready when he turned around for another attempt at a conversation. She was not ready, however, when he asked her to join her in a walk around the courtyard. She bewilderingly stood up and followed him out to the court yard.

As they walked, Alexandria's eyes wandered from Paolo to the scenery around her. The evening was warm, crickets created their music, and stars twinkled above them. The warm breeze caressed her cheeks and played with the hem of her gown. She closed her eyes and sighed happily at her peaceful surroundings. When she re-opened them, she found Paolo looking at her curiously with a soft smile across his lips. She surprised herself by giggling and taking his hand when he offered it to her. They walked arm in arm throughout the courtyard not speaking a word, opting to sneak glances at each other when the other weren't looking. When Alexandria attempted to glance at him once more, she encountered his intense, peculiar stare on her face. She blushed scarlet and looked away, flustered. He chuckled and grasped her shoulders in his strangely soft hands-the hands of a non-working noble-and turned her towards him. She tensed at his touch and her heart rate quickened as his hands travelled down to her waist.

"Mio caro," he breathed, "you are so beautiful. I can barely wait to wed you. These days shall hopefully pass quickly, and on the night of our wedding, I shall make you mine. This is a promise."

Alexandria's stomach dropped at his devastatingly simple words and winced when his grip on her waist tightened.

"No other man shall have you, no one will enjoy you other than myself," he growled and then crushed his lips to Alexandria's roughly, causing her to gasp. Paolo took this as an opportunity to plunge his tongue into her mouth and Alexandria cried out at the foreignness and roughly pushed Paolo away, causing him to stumble back. She used his surprise as an opportunity and quickly spun around and ran back to the house.

She could not believe it! How could a kind man be such an animal underneath? She thought herself stupid for letting herself be fooled by such an act.

Alexandria went back to the dining room where Salvatore and GianCarlo were enjoying dessert. She seated herself, heart racing, and stared quietly at her now empty plate. She went rigid and did not look up when Paolo returned and sat himself down next to her once more. Suddenly, she felt his hand run up her thigh and she began breathing heavily. She looked at him and his lecherous grin and begged him with her eyes to stop. His lips curled up at the edges more and he squeezed her inner thigh, causing her to cry out in surprise.

Salvatore and GianCarlo peered at her and she shakingly smiled at them. They narrowed their eyes at her for a moment before turning back to their conversation. Alexandria felt the sudden urge to cry. This was the man she was going to marry. She could not believe she was being obligated to marry a man of such high stature who was a pompous pig, a pervert, a liar, and a cheat. How could she ever bear this man's children? How could she bear to spend the rest of her life with him?

She had so many questions, and no one to answer them.

* * *

**A/N: Sooo? Whatcha guys think? :) Ezio comes in next chapter! It'll probably be up in 1 to 2 weeks time. I'm sorry guys, I'm just really busy with school :( Read And Review and I shall be a happy girl! 3 **


	4. Fugitive

**Disclaimer: I do not claim to own Assassin's Creed II. **

**A/N : Sorry for the long wait guys! I have a competition tomorrow and a tournament on Monday. Practices have been unbearably brutal and I haven't had any time to update. But I promised this chapter would be longer! Haha, while I was editing the document, a special on the Knights Templar aired on the History channel. Good shit, haha. **

**Song I listened to while writing: **_My Heart Beats for Love by Miley Cyrus_

* * *

It was now the day of Alexandria's wedding, or rather, Paolo and her family's wedding - and she wanted no part in it. But alas, the choice was not her own and she would unwillingly do what her family expected of her. Paolo had spent the last week speaking to her and trying to coax her into submission with false promises of everything she desired. But all she desired, with a heavy heart, was freedom. She longed for the freedom she had when she was a child, the time when Demetri was still alive and well. Yet, no matter how hard she wished, she knew those moments would never be returned to her, and all she could do was float in the memories that made her happy.

Salvatore's unusual kindness towards her did nothing to ease her wary mind. Something was amiss. She did not know what it was, and it put her on edge. Oh, how she detested being ignorant to the affairs of the household. She did not care whether Salvatore was the head of the home, she owned the manor by birth, and she would see to it that everything happening inside its walls were appropriate and to her knowledge. Even though the actual method in which she acquired her information was quite difficult, she never gave up in respects to her father. The Conti manor was passed down from generation to generation and she would make sure that it was well taken care of while she lived. Although she sorrowfully knew that the house no longer belonged to the Conti's, but to the Romano's. Despite her knowledge of such unfortunate things, she knew her father would have desired her to attend to his home.

As the days went on, Paolo also became more and more lecherous towards her; touching her inappropriately in places no woman should be touched unless by her husband. Alexandria desperately tried to avoid him by spending time with her maids and doing chores around the house, but he was always able to isolate her and torture her with his bold advances. Which caused her to dart back to her chambers and she was eminently grateful for Ambra's presence and support. She was the one person who could make her feel as if everything was going to be okay, and would comfort her every time Alexandria wept in her arms. Not even her own mother would check on her well-being, and this infuriated Alexandria to such an extent that she began to loathe her mother more and more as the week went on.

However, today was a day of festivity and preparation. No one had time for an unhappy bride who did not wish to be married, there were more productive things to worry about. Alexandria walked around the house as the maids cooked and cleaned for the feast after the wedding. She passed by Eliodoro's old room and her steps faltered. The corners of her lips twitched downward and she placed a hesitant hand on the wood. Her fingers lightly passed over the mahogany door before she slowly pushed it in. Her throat tightened and her eyes stung as she saw that the room was exactly how her brother had left it seven years ago. The bed was unkempt and the imprint of his body were still in the sheets and pillow, the parchments and documents on his desk were in a clutter and one was in development, his clothes were scattered around the room and, as Alexandria inhaled, she noticed the room smelled strongly of her beloved sibling.

Of course she would occasionally walk by his room and sneak a peak in, but she never had the courage to fully invade his space. It was an unspoken agreement between she and Eliodoro; she would never set foot in his room, and he would never enter her's. But today, she had a feeling that this would be the last time she would pass by her beloved brother's chambers and walk the corridors that led to it. So, she walked in and gazed upon everything that was his. She walked to his bed and sat down. It was cold, she noted sadly, and she laid her head on his pillow. Her heart clenched painfully and her grip on the sheets tightened until her knuckles turned white, but she did not cry. She would honor his memory by being strong. Alexandria lifted herself off of the bed and hastily walked out of the nest that held plenty of joyous and painful memories. The sorrow was too much to bear.

Alexandria of course also remembered her other brother Niccolò, but Salvatore took over his room and made it into a place of storage. She cried for days on end after she first walked into the once familiar room and realized that everything was foreign to her. When Salvatore revealed to her that he had plans of making Eliodoro's room into a nursery for the child he and her mother wished to have, Alexandria fought tooth and nail for the room to be left as it was. Her pleas fell on deaf ears as Salvatore and her mother came to the final decision of converting the room when confirmation of the baby's conception was made. However, after many failed attempts, Maddalena failed to conceive another child and was deemed barren - much to Alexandria's guilty satisfaction.

Ambra was gripping her skirts and hastily walking through the hallways searching for Alexandria. The wedding was only perhaps two hours away, and Alexandria was nowhere to be found. Preparing her for the event was a tedious and time consuming task, and they could not afford to waste the few important hours they had. Ambra was getting anxious and time seemed to be moving quickly. She understood Alexandria wanted to avoid the marriage, but it was just not her decision.

Ambra sighed as she walked, she pitied the girl. Her father, Demetri, would have never let this happen. She wished she could stop Salvatore, but there was no power in her voice or in her presence. She turned a corner and found Alexandria walking slowly through the hallways that led to the courtyard. Ambra sighed in relief and called out to her.

"Alexandria!"

Alexandria turned around in surprise and saw Ambra running towards her. She clamped her hand on Alexandria's shoulder and brought the other to her chest. When Ambra finally regained her oxygen, she let her hand slide down to grip Alexandria's own.

"Please Signora," she began, " you _must_ let us get you ready for your wedding! I know the idea does not please you, but it would save you a great deal of pain if you were to just do as your step-father wished. We as women must do what is right for ourselves, but also for our potential family, Alexandria. Come, let us prepare you for the inevitable."

Ambra walked away and motioned Alexandria to follow. Alexandria numbly followed, but her thoughts ran wild. If she, a woman, was to do what was right for herself, then why would she let herself be married off to a mule like Paolo? Why couldn't she run away and be free of everything she had endured for the last seven years? But there was also the great possibility that if she were to run, she would be caught and executed without mercy. Alexandria's face fell at the thought. There was no possible way that she could escape this one. She exhaled deeply and walked quicker to catch up with Ambra who glanced back at her and smiled softly. Alexandria tried to smile back at her, she really did, but found it was impossible. After this day, her life would change completely. How much, she did not know - but it was certain.

They arrived at the bath and Alexandria was quickly undressed by her maids. They urged her into the bath water and hurriedly washed her with a jasmine scented oil. The maids spared no time pulling her out of the water rather forcibly to begin dressing her. One maid, Isabella, slipped her into a chemise and then, with the help of the other maids, passed the wedding gown over her head. They tightened the corset around Alexandria which caused said girl to curse. Isabella blushed at such profane language and continued lacing the ivory ribbons. She had picked out the wedding dress herself and was rather smug when she noticed that it was a perfect fit and that it was stunning. She had guessed her lady's measurements correctly and she was proud. But she could not help the twinge of jealousy that bloomed in her heart. Isabella wished she was the one who was getting prepared to be married off to such a handsome man and her thoughts became bitter as she recalled how Alexandria acted like she despised Paolo when Paolo seemed like the perfect fiance. He was kind, a gentleman, chivalrous, handsome, sincere, and of course wealthy. How could Alexandria hate such a match?

Isabella pulled the laces tighter and she blushed furiously as she also remembered her own encounters with Paolo. He had come into the kitchen one day looking for Alexandria, but ended his search when he laid eyes on her. He had touched her, whispered sweet nothings in her ear, and had made Isabella into a woman. He made her feel alive with just his simple touches and his looks - and Isabella found herself falling in love with the man. He would visit her frequently and she would bask in his presence. They would pleasure each other when they could, and Isabella could not help but wish he was her own. There was one time when she and Paolo were caught by one of Alexandria's personal maids named Valeria, but Paolo threatened the girl into silence and Isabella was relieved, she could continue their affair without fear.

Alexandria yelped and grunted when Isabella began combing her hair roughly. She tried to rub her poor scalp but the maid slapped her hand away. She pouted and slumped in her seat and let the maid do her work. She toyed with the delicate silk fabric of the gown and let her thoughts wander to Paolo and this particular maid. She had suspected something was occurring between them and her suspicions were confirmed when the young dark haired maid from the previous week, whose name she learned was Valeria, released to her what she had witnessed. Alexandria was surprised but did not harbor any ill feelings towards her maid, but rather found herself pitying the girl. She was falling for the wrong man, at the wrong time, in the worst illusion. Paolo was not what she thought, not even close. However wrong it was, Alexandria let Isabella enjoy her moments with Paolo and feigned ignorance when it came to their affair.

After two hours of preparation, Alexandria looked like a proper bride. Ambra noticed in a panic that their time was up and that they had to leave. She rushed Alexandria into the carriage and they raced towards the cathedral where everyone was waiting. Alexandria felt a knot twist in her stomach and waves of nausea attacked her. Who would be there to witness her misery become final? Though she felt physically ill, she grinned when she thought of the fact that Uberto Alberti would definitely not be there. He was killed a few years prior by some young man whose name she recalled being somewhere along the lines of Esio Aditor. When the news reached her, she danced, she laughed, she cried at the joy she received. She hoped the man's soul was in pain for all eternity for the pain he caused her and those around her. They were cruel thoughts, yes, but she deemed them appropriate. She vowed she would thank this Esio, one way or another.

The carriage skidded to a halt when they reached the cathedral, jarring Alexandria out of her thoughts. Her heart pounded in her chest as the door flew open and she stepped out. She walked slowly to the entrance and pushed the massive extravagant doors open. She gasped at the multitude of people present - who all turned to gaze upon her form. Alexandria stood tall and though she was terrified, she would do this with dignity. She took a step forward...and everything that followed after was a blur of time and events.

She had an out of body experience as she watched herself, a young woman, walk to the handsome man waiting for her at the altar. Her stance tall, proud. Her face under her veil stained with hot tears of anguish. She watched her sob as she exchanged vows and watched her recoil in disgust when her now husband kissed her to finalize their joining. Alexandria was nothing more but a spectator to her own wedding.

* * *

Night had come quickly and Alexandria was feeling uneasy. This was undoubtedly the night where she would be made a woman. The thought was repulsive and devastating. She believed that the moment a woman lost her maidenhead should be shared with someone she loved and trusted. But beliefs have no power behind them unless they have strength. And Alexandria knew that at this moment, she was weak.

Alexandria paced around the bedroom she and Paolo shared in her thin chemise, dreading the moment he would walk through those doors. He had made sure to let her know of his intentions for her that night during dinner. The memory of his breath on her skin as he whispered into her ear made her gag. The doors to the room slowly creaked open and her breath caught in her throat. Paolo walked in with all the grace of a drunken slob with a wine glass in his grimy hand. Alexandria peered at him closely and noticed with disgust how his dilated pupils, the dazed look on his face, and the way he stumbled around, was indication that he _was_ in fact, drunk.

Paolo took a step forward, and stumbled into Alexandria's legs. She yelped and leaped back quickly, putting as much distance as she could between them. Fear settled deep into her bones when Paolo ran his eyes up her scantly clad body with lust running rampage in his stare. Her body became rigid and her eyes followed him as he moved to set the wine glass on the bedside table. He turned around slowly and threw Alexandria a lecherous grin before removing his doublet and facing her in his undershirt and breeches. He advanced towards her as if he was a predator stalking his prey. Alexandria's heart beat wildly in her chest and she moved to get away but he caught her by her forearms before she could step around him and slammed her into the wall. He breathed in her face and she cringed at the abhorrent smell emanating off him. Paolo crashed his lips onto her own before taking her in his arms and throwing her onto the bed. Not a second had passed after her body touched the piece of furniture when Paolo was on her, ripping off her chemise and forcibly spreading her legs.

Panic filled Alexandria and she searched wildly for anything to defend herself with. She clamped her legs closed and Paolo forcibly opened them once more, his hands roughly holding them open - his fingers pressing into the skin of her inner thighs and bruising her. Her hysteria increased as he began to unbutton his pants. Her right arm swung out and crashed into the wine glass, effectively breaking it. Her heart raced as she grasped a rather long, and rather sharp, shard of glass. In an instant, Paolo was free of everything that hindered him from obtaining his pleasure and he spread her legs wider and positioned himself for entrance. Alexandria clamped her eyes shut and blindly swung her arm as a last attempt to stop him.

Paolo froze and Alexandria suddenly felt a warm liquid fall on her chest. She heard a gurgle and her eyes flew open. With a gasp and a short scream, she noticed with horror that she had slit Paolo's throat. The liquid that held his life poured onto her chest and she screamed. Paolo's dead body descended on Alexandria and she whimpered. She groaned as she pushed him off of her and backed away from the bed that was quickly becoming stained with blood. She stared at the body for a while as anxiety consumed her and adrenaline pulsed through her veins. She knew she had to leave - had to escape. She quickly dressed herself in one of Eliodoro's old breeches and old shirts and gathered all the money she could. She pulled on some old leather work boots and ran to the window. Alexandria looked out and noticed that there was no way to leave the room...unless she climbed down. She took a deep breath and climbed over the windowsill before setting a tentative foot on a protruding stone. She breathed out with relief before taking another step down. Alexandria softly smiled, she would escape and everything was going to be okay.

Suddenly, a blood curling scream pierced through her concentration and she lifted her head. Her eyes locked with Isabella's who eyed the blood on her face and whose eyes flicked towards the corpse on the bed before letting out a shrill, "Murderer!", and pointing a finger at Alexandria with seething rage.

Alexandria's grip on the window ledge slipped and she fell the last twenty feet towards the ground. She landed on her shoulder with a painful cry before she scrambled to her feet. She looked up and saw Isabella's livid tear-stained face staring back at her.

"_Murderer_! She killed Signore Paolo! Guards!"

Alexandria heard the clinking of armor and rapid footsteps approaching and then spun on her heel and sprinted down the courtyard. She ran as fast as her legs could take her and she suddenly felt like a child once more. She relived the memories of running with her brothers and felt as though their spirits were running right along side her. The familiar caress of the wind hitting her face while blowing through her hair and the painful tightening of her muscles were like a lover's embrace. Alexandria felt exhilarated and laughed like a maniac and pushed herself faster. Out of every emotion that was pumping through her blood, fear was not among them. She ignored the dull sting of nicks acquired by running through bushes and branches and kept sprinting. Though she was tiring, she was determined to put as much space between her and the guards as possible.

The clinking of metal and sounds of footsteps behind her faded away and Alexandria's legs and lungs pleaded with her to slow down and rest. She ignored them and ran until she felt she was completely safe. She reached a dark clearing near a large oak tree and stopped there. Alexandria rested against the tree and slid down its trunk. She massaged her aching muscles and leaned back into the rough bark of the oak. She breathed heavily and waited for her heart to stop racing and return to its normal beat sequence. Soon, the adrenaline in her body also died down and she felt the sting of every single gash, cut and bruise she had on her body. She groaned and toppled over to her side. However, along with regaining her sense of physical awareness, the haze that had covered her mind also dissipated.

Alexandria realized with a start that she had actually_ killed_ a man - with her own hands! She was a murderer, a cheat, a _fugitive_. She had never thought herself capable of committing such a horrendous deed. Taking another life? Impossible! But here she was, escaping her impending death if she were to have stayed. Alexandria furiously wiped her bloody hands on the grass beside her before she curled into a ball and sobs wracked her body. She would be killed if they found her. Hanged like a traitor and people would spit on her corpse and grave. She had dishonored her father's memory and was no better than Alberti, and the thought alone made her weep harder. Alexandria discerned that she would have to live with constant fear for her life and paranoia. She soon cried herself to sleep curled up in the fetal position under the oak tree - her body too exhausted to keep her conscious.

* * *

Ezio Auditore was surprised, to say the least. He had definitely _not_ expected things to occur the way they did tonight. He stared at the woman below the oak tree and his thoughts drifted back to the events that had occurred only a few hours before.

_Ezio was agitated. He was having a pleasant time at the bordello with some new courtesans before his good friend, sometimes lover, Rosa, barged in. She pushed the half naked prostitutes out of the room and stood in front of the door with her hands on her hips. She raised an amused eyebrow at Ezio's appearance. His hair was tousled, his pants were around his ankles and he was sitting down fully erect. He glared at her and pulled up his pants._

_"Che cazzo, Rosa!", he yelled and she laughed. _

_"Oh calmati, puttana uomo. You will see your little toys in a while, but right now, we need you to retrieve some documents from some Templar," Rosa said and the mood suddenly became serious. _

_"And where, per chance, am I to find these documents?" Ezio asked and Rosa snorted. _

_"In his home, of course. He was just recently married to some woman, so his guard is most likely down. The documents are in his bedroom and they are very important if you want to find Borgia," she said and then added, "and you also have to kill this man. I believe his name was Paolo Lombardi."_

_ So came to be the reason why Ezio was perched on the tree on the manor facing Lombardi's bedroom. He had been waiting a while and was getting impatient. He had already retrieved the documents, but he needed to eliminate his target - who had yet to appear. Abruptly, the door to the chambers opened and Ezio perked up. His hand rested on a throwing knife and he began pulling it out, expecting it to be Paolo. He was disappointed when a woman walked in instead of the Templar. His hand fell away from the weapon and he sighed. Ezio gazed at the woman with mild interest. She was beautiful, he noted, but she seemed to be distressed. She paced back and forth through the room before undressing. He spared her some privacy as she changed. When he glanced back, she had resumed her pacing, but she was dressed in a chemise that was a bit short of...indecent, but appropriate for the bedroom. _

_ When the door creaked open again, Ezio lazily glanced at it and quickly became attentive when he noticed that it _was_ his target. The man was intoxicated and Ezio smirked - it was a much easier kill when his objectives were disoriented. He watched idly and patiently as Paolo approached his, Ezio assumed, wife. The waves of fear radiated off the woman like tides and he found that particularly odd. When Paolo threw her onto the bed, Ezio jolted to a standing position from his hiding spot. Sure, Ezio was a womanizer and he enjoyed sex as much as the next man, but every woman he had, they had done it willingly. But this, what he was about to witness, would be forced - and he could not stand for that. He was about to jump through the window and save the girl and kill Lombardi when all of a sudden, Paolo's wife swung out and severed his jugular. Ezio was rooted to his spot, mouth agape. Her eyes were closed and she most likely didn't know what had happened. When she opened them, she screamed and panicked. Though the situation was not appropriate, Ezio was amused. This was clearly her first kill, and she acted so..childish about it. Well, _he_ believed it was rather childish. He sat back on his haunches and watched as she pushed the body off of her and back away from it. She stared at it for a while and he wondered what she would do. _

_ After a while, Ezio guessed she knew that the only option she had was to leave. She gathered some money and changed her clothes, but she did not wash off her husband's blood. He watched as she tried to descend the wall by her window and was mildly alarmed when a maid walked in and let out a horrid scream. He winced at the ungodly frequency and saw how furious she appeared. The woman looked surprised too, and must have lost her footing because she fell and Ezio winced. Her landing looked painful. The maid ran towards the window and yelled for the guards before running back to Lombardi's corpse. _

_ The maid clutched at the dead man and sobbed into his cold body. Ezio guessed she and Paolo had an affair. No maid would feel _that_ much grief over a dead master. She pounded the floor with her fist and cursed a woman named Alexandria. Ezio shook his head at the pathetic display and turned his attention back to the now fleeing widow. She was some distance ahead with guards in hot pursuit. His job was done, he had the documents and Lombardi was dead, but for some reason, he felt compelled to follow who he believed was Alexandria.. He jumped off of the tree and followed them._

Ezio had reached Alexandria a while after the guards gave up their chase. Though she was quick and determined to get away, they figured they would capture her later. When Ezio arrived at the clearing, he found her curled up into a ball under the tree in apparent slumber. He watched her for a bit to make sure his assumptions were correct before he walked up to her. As he approached her, he noticed she was bleeding from some of the gashes on her arms. He crouched next to her and brushed a lock of hair away from her tear stained face. His lips curled into a smile, she was so beautiful, he could not leave her there. He picked her up and cradled her against his chest and began moving towards Venice. He knew a place where he could take her, but he would have _a lot_ of explaining to do.

* * *

**Translations:**

**_"Che cazzo, Rosa!" - _**What the fuck, Rosa!

**_"Oh calmati, puttana uomo." _**- "Oh calm down, you man whore."

**A/N: Please allow another couple of weeks before I update again! I know, I hate it when I have to wait a long time for an author to update too, but I'll try to make it up! Keep reviewing please, they motivate me to write faster and better. **


	5. Discoveries

**A/N: Ugh, I am SOOOO sorry for the long wait guys. I just got my phone back yesterday and this chapter was written on it so I had no way to get it until it was fixed. So, yeah, I got it back, and added some more to it and here it is! :) Thank you all for being so patient. This chapter also gets kind of crappy towards the end and is very uneventful.**

**Disclaimer: Assassin's Creed II does not in any shape or form belong to me.**

* * *

In a small, quiet workshop illuminated by candle light, Leonardo da Vinci worked on the Codex pages Ezio entrusted him with. With the aid of a female thief named Rosa, he worked to decipher the patterns and lettering written on the parchment. He loved it when Ezio gave him these pages; they were a way to test his intelligence and were a challenge. Rosa rested her head in the palm of her hand and looked on as Leonardo's eyes lit up brilliantly as he worked, and sighed. As much as she tried, she could not understand an iota of what those pages contained. She was bored, yes, but she wouldn't burden Leonardo with the knowledge of her lack of entertainment—and somehow she knew he wouldn't care even if she _did_ tell him. He was so wrapped up in those documents of his, everything seemed to fade away.

Rosa rolled her eyes and stared at the wooden table, tracing the patterns the wood made and concentrating deeply on the dark crevices. Suddenly, a series of loud bangs echoed throughout Leonardo's studio. Her brow furrowed as she lifted her head and looked at Leonardo. He was brought out of his concentration as well and was now looking at her, bewilderment plastered on his face. She shrugged and stood up. He watched as her eyes narrowed while she pulled out a dagger from her boot. She raised a finger to her lips as a signal for silence and he nodded to convey to her that he understood. She gently smiled at him before her gaze went back to the door and she took cautious steps forward when the banging became more persistent.

Though she could handle herself exceptionally well in a fight, Rosa was a tad bit nervous. This was different than those times she fought with guards—the person behind the door had an advantage. She didn't know who it was, and she couldn't predict how difficult it would be to fight him. Normally, Ezio would tell her who to fight and he would take the bigger and obviously stronger guards, but he wasn't there at the moment, so she had to swallow her fear and protect Leonardo, herself, and more importantly, the Codex Pages. Rosa took a deep breath and laid a clammy palm on the door handle. She raised the dagger to attack, and swung the door open.

She blinked when she saw Ezio standing outside the door struggling to hold a woman up with his left arm and his right hand fisted and poised to knock. He smirked and gently knocked on her forehead and she growled before swiping his hand away. She spun on her heel and walked back to the table where Leonardo visibly relaxed upon laying eyes on his friend, but still tensed as he noticed the unconscious form in Ezio's arms. Ezio adjusted the woman and walked towards him and Rosa who also stared curiously at the girl. Leonardo quickly and neatly cleared away the clutter on the table and motioned at Ezio to lay her on the newly cleared space.

"_Grazie_," Ezio mumbled and laid her on the hard wooden surface, his leather clad hand softly brushing away the locks of hair obscuring her face.

"Is she well?" Leonardo asked, "What happened?"

Ezio pulled down his hood and ran his hands down his face as he let out a deep breath. He glanced at the girl's sleeping form and rubbed his aching temples.

"She killed Paolo," he said tiredly and Leonardo's eyes widened.

"What?" Rosa blurted out and Ezio's eyes were now on her, "Weren't you supposed to kill him?"

Ezio chuckled, "Well, she got to him before I could. Unfortunately, she's on the run from her own guards and she's gotten herself in quite the predicament." And he then added softly, "Such a stupid girl."

Rosa groaned and plopped herself onto the chair, "So you decided to bring her _here_? Of all places, Ezio!" She said disbelievingly and glared at the woman lying on the table. Ezio would jeopardize their position to play the hero for a damsel in distress—again. She huffed and crossed her arms. She was getting tired of it and was about to voice her mind when the girl on the table whimpered and stirred. Ezio was by her side immediately and Rosa rose to her feet. They stood still and watched as the girl's eyes slowly fluttered open.

Alexandria was confused and afraid. She remembered falling asleep under an oak, but the hard surface beneath her proved that it was _not_ grass. Her eyes slowly opened and focused on the dim candlelit room and the face hovering above her. Her eyes widened and she did what any sane woman would do when waking up to a strange man:

She screamed.

Her scream made the man jerk back in surprise and she rolled off of the table, landing painfully on her side before scrambling up to her feet and backing away from the three figures in front of her. Her eyes narrowed and she pressed herself against the wall, her chest rising and falling with her deep, erratic breathing. She glared at them intensely and pressed herself against the wall even more while jutting up her chin.

Ezio regarded the woman before him cautiously. He was impressed; she was afraid and still managed to seem proud. He advanced towards her softly and smiled gently.

"Don't be afraid, _mia cara_," he began sweetly; "we're not going to hurt you. We only want to help you."

"I don't need your help," she spat and Ezio frowned. It was clear that she wasn't going to take any help from_ him_, so he threw Rosa a glance that said _'help me'_ in their depths and she sighed.

"Listen here, you ungrateful brat," she growled at her and Alexandria's jaw dropped in surprise, "You're lucky he saved you from getting killed by those guards. The least you could do is cooperate."

Alexandria glared harder at the girl before her and pushed herself off the wall. She spared the bearded, blue eyed man a glance before standing before them—her eyes solely on the robed man in front of her.

She knew they saved her, and she was sort of grateful, but she didn't know if she could trust them, and she would not let her guard down until she was sure she could. He grinned at her and she glared at his cocky expression. Something about him put her on guard.

"What is your name?" he asked.

"Alexandria Conti," she responded and her chin jutted up in defiance once more, causing Ezio to smirk.

"Ah, but were you not Paolo Lombardi's wife?" he taunted and Alexandria growled, much to his surprise.

"Yes," she said between clenched teeth.

"Then why did you kill him?" Rosa asked this time and Alexandria fell silent.

Did she have a reason for killing Paolo? Sure, self-defense was legitimate, but there was something deeper. She knew she loathed him, but was that really enough to spill his blood? She wrapped her arms around her and stared at Paolo's dried blood in horror. Her mouth suddenly went dry and she whimpered. The defiance she felt now gone, replaced by disgust and disbelief.

"I don't know," she said softly and averted her gaze to stare at the flickering candlelight.

Ezio sighed. "Leonardo," he barked, causing said person to flinch at the authority in his tone and Ezio softened his voice a bit, "could you please bring a washbowl and cloth so that Signora Conti can clean herself off?"

Leonardo nodded and scampered off to find what was asked of him. Ezio turned his attention back to Alexandria. "Tomorrow, Rosa will take you to the nearest bath house so that you may bathe."

Upon hearing her inclusion to something she wanted no part in, Rosa opened her mouth to protest but Ezio silenced her with his eyes and her mouth clamped shut—opting instead to glare at the man. Alexandria nodded slowly and Leonardo came back with what he set off to get. She accepted the objects gratefully and began to wipe off the blood and grime on her face. She was aware of their eyes on her and she paid them no mind. She just wanted to get Paolo's blood off her skin.

When she was done, Leonardo took the murky bloody water and dumped it outside. Alexandria began to fidget where she was standing, the silence was stifling and she was quickly becoming uncomfortable. Leonardo suddenly smiled at her and she found herself smiling back.

"You must be tired," he said gently and she was surprised that she actually was, even though she must have slept a while. She sheepishly nodded and Ezio's chuckle resonated throughout the room.

"Well, you can sleep with me," he said gleefully and Rosa slapped him upside the head.

"_Stronzo_," she growled and then said to Leonardo, "she can sleep in the other guest room you have, Leo. I'll take refuge at the Thieves Guild; I miss my bed there anyway."

Leonardo nodded and she began walking out the door. "Alexandria, I'll come back to get you in the morning," she called over her shoulder and shut the door behind her.

With Rosa's departure, Alexandria began to feel odd standing alone with two strange men smiling at her. Though one was kind, the other was rather sly. She stared at Ezio for a moment before Leonardo brought her attention back to him. He shyly took her hand and placed it around the crook of his arm and led her up the stairs to the guest room, leaving Ezio behind. The curiosity was killing her, so she asked, "Who are you?" He smiled at her once more.

"Leonardo da Vinci," he said, "it is a pleasure to meet you Signora Conti."

She smiled and patted his hand, "The pleasure is all mine, Signore da Vinci, and I greatly appreciate your hospitality. Though, if I may ask, who is that other man downstairs and the woman who just left?"

"That is Ezio Auditore and the woman is Rosa."

Alexandria nodded, the name Ezio Auditore sounding familiar, but she remained silent for the rest of the walk. When they reached the room, Leonardo bid her good night and she walked into the plain room. She figured that just for one night, while fatigue attacked her weary body, that she would trust these strangers that had helped her. She dragged herself towards the bed, her legs feeling like pounds of lead, and fell ungraciously onto the mattress with a plop. She brought her legs into herself and sighed, giving into emotional exhaustion.

* * *

Alexandria awoke the following morning dazed, and groaned as she stretched. She lay in bed and stared at the ceiling with unseeing eyes before she turned her head to gaze out the window. She figured it was a bit before dawn and she sat upright in bed, head resting against the headboard. Sudden wetness upon her cheeks brought her back to where she currently was and her situation at hand. Big, fat, wet tears cascaded slowly down her face and she licked at the salty liquid that landed on her lips. She realized that she could never go back to the place that held many of her fondest memories. She would have to adapt to a new life, take on a new identity, and abandon everything she vowed to protect. The thought unsettled her and brought anguish to her heart. Alexandria brought her hands to her face and stared at them.

_These hands have killed_, she thought, _what would father think_?

Her father, oh, her father. She groaned into her hands and dragged them slowly down her face. A new wave of tears assaulted her face as she thought of her dearest father. What would he have said if he was alive? What would he have done? She bitterly figured he would be disappointed, if not horrified, at her actions. But then again, he would not have forced her into the marriage in the first place. Would he have left her to escape and called off the guards?

Perhaps, perhaps not.

The sun was beginning to rise while she sat in her inner torment and she angrily wiped away the tears on her unblemished skin. Now was not the time to be distressed, she had to think of a way to put herself back together and move on. What's done is done, and she could not change the past, but make the future work in her favor. She flung the blankets off her form and walked towards the window. She opened the window and the cool gust of wind caused her to take a sharp inhalation of air. It was colder in the mornings, she had forgotten that. Alexandria distantly smoothed down the wrinkles in her chemise as she stared out the window. The birds perched on the tree outside were chirping away merrily, and she softly smiled. She was like them; free, but working to survive. Frowning, she turned away from the window and began pacing around the room. The sun was slowly rising above the horizon, bringing with it beautiful arrays of pastel colors that painted the morning sky. She stared at the sky and marveled at the beauty, her pacing momentarily forgotten. Snapping out of it, she berated herself aloud and resumed her feverish pacing. Think, she had to think! She obviously could not mooch off Leonardo's and Ezio's hospitality, they had basically saved her from certain capture and imprisonment. Saved her from the first step towards death—and that was enough for her. She would leave, _had_ to. However, there was more to come. Of that she was sure. God knows what awaited her after she left Leonardo's workshop and had to fend for herself on the streets of Venice.

At the remembrance of being in Venice, Alexandria groaned and plopped back onto the bed. Once again bringing her head into her hands in exasperation while her elbows rested on her knees, she pressed the pads of her fingers into her face. She could not stay in the city, either! She would obviously be sought after; her only option was to leave. Leave everything she knew and settle for something foreign. She let out a defeated sigh and stared lifelessly at the floor, hands dangling forgotten between her knees. She just didn't know what to do.

A soft, but piercing, knock brought her out of her brooding. She slowly stood and walked nonchalantly towards the door. She opened it lazily and stared up at Leonardo's unnervingly bright face and grimaced.

"Good morning Signora Alexandria," he said cheerily and she also politely bid him good morning before he continued, "Rosa is waiting for you downstairs and she is rather impatient.." he trailed off and frowned but then continued with newfound vigor, "but you are all ready it seems! Good, let us go see her."

When Alexandria passed by a mirror in the corridors as she followed Leonardo, she paused mid-step and gaped at her reflection. She stepped closer to the mirror and touched her face, mouth hanging slightly ajar. Her eyes were puffy and red, no doubt from all the crying she did, and her cheeks were flushed. Her hand trailed down to her neck, and her reflection mimicked her actions. She still had bruises from Salvatore's assault, they seemed like they would never heal. Her eyes went back to her face and then hair that was a tousled mess with some twigs and leaves caught in the tangles. She groaned and looked at Leonardo as if to say, _'do you see this? WHAT, THE, HELL._'

Leonardo chuckled and moved to stand beside her. She scowled at her reflection and felt the urge to punch the pathetic girl who scowled back with pain clear in her deep blue eyes. She wanted to scream at her to get herself together, that she was stronger than this, but she just turned away swiftly and began walking towards where Rosa was, a deep frown marring her delicate features.

Stepping into the kitchen to find Rosa entangled in Ezio's arms was not something she hoped to find, but did nonetheless. Her eyes widened and she quickly stammered an apology before rushing away. She leaned against the wall with a hand over her heart, and took in shaky breaths. That was...awkward. She had the faintest idea they were lovers; she observed that every time Rosa touched Ezio, it would linger as if to suggest something more. And of course, she saw the look in Rosa's eyes when she looked at him. She was positively stricken by him, and yet, when Alexandria looked at how Ezio saw Rosa, she knew he saw her as nothing but a close friend with distinct benefits. She grimaced at the thought; it was another reason to leave. She didn't want to get involved in any of this.

Taking a deep breath and deciding to be brave, Alexandria walked into the kitchen, expecting them to be in the same position as before. She was relieved, however, when she saw them standing over the table analyzing a document she recognized as one that Salvatore had given Paolo secretly. She said her greetings, received two grunts in response and grabbed an apple. She leaned against the wall and peered curiously over her fruit. Why would they have one of her step-father's documents?

She thought that perhaps they had intercepted it, but then her brow furrowed. No, that was impossible. She had witnessed the transaction while hiding behind the door to her brother's room. Something was up, and she was determined to find out. Alexandria opened her mouth to talk when Leonardo interrupted her.

"Rosa," he called and Alexandria threw him an annoyed glare while Rosa looked up.

"Yeah, Leo," she asked sweetly with a cheeky smile, then she remembered Alexandria, "oh, right...I'm supposed to take her to take a bath..."

Said girl narrowed her eyes at her and she grinned happily in response. Alexandria inwardly groaned, this was going to be a long day.

"Rosa," Ezio said calmly, causing Alexandria to look at him, she had forgotten he was there, "when you return, we need to go over these documents."

Rosa simply nodded and grabbed her roughly by her wrist and dragged her towards the direction of the bath house. She yanked her wrist out of her grasp and glared at her. Rosa paused and regarded her slowly, then outright laughed before shaking her head and continued walking. Alexandria stood there seething, the nerve of this girl! If she knew the direction of the bath house, she would have gone on her own. She didn't though, and grudgingly followed Rosa through the crowded streets. She wouldn't speak to her though, she refused to. She smirked, no, that girl wasn't going to get a peep out of her.

* * *

True to her word, Alexandria did not let Rosa hear her voice throughout the entire trip to the bath house. It annoyed Rosa when she wouldn't answer any of her questions, but she shrugged it off. She didn't want to hear her arrogant voice anyway. However, there were some things she needed to know and this girl was the only one who could provide her with answers. Upon arriving at their small destination, Rosa grabbed Alexandria's wrist and dragged her towards the private bath –nodding to the tenants in the process. She was a frequent customer, so they knew her well enough to let her go through without question.

Rosa undressed quickly in front of Alexandria, much to her surprise. How could this girl not have a sense of personal privacy? Alexandria eyed her warily and Rosa smirked in retaliation. She raised an eyebrow and Alexandria sighed. They were both women, they were virtually the same in every way possible; there was no reason for her to be shy and embarrassed. She tentatively undressed as Rosa slipped into the steaming water, keeping her eyes locked on the wall.

As her body shivered and adjusted to the hot water, Rosa subtly eyed the girl under her supervision. Alexandria's body, to her, seemed like it knew no difficult times. It was graceful, lithe, and unblemished, while she, a thief girl, had scars marring her own athletic body. She softly frowned at the thought and suddenly became self-conscience of herself. This girl, who was no doubt younger than her, made her feel somewhat unworthy to be in any part of this girl's existence, and she did not like that. As her eyes followed Alexandria's body into the water, she noticed the small scars on some parts of her body and her brow furrowed. Where did she get those?

Alexandria was aware of Rosa's scrutinizing gaze and she took the liberty of laying her analytical eyes on her also. Rosa did not seem the gentle and graceful creature that women were known for; in fact, Rosa seemed to be as tough as a burly man. Alexandria's eyes narrowed as she realized that Rosa wasn't someone to be trifled with. No matter, she knew how to fight too. Her brothers had taken it upon themselves to teach her the fighting styles of the knights. She set a level gaze upon Rosa's face and committed everything she saw to memory. She had jade eyes outlined by heavy eyelashes set upon a round, angular face. Her nose was narrow and her mouth wide. Her hair was cropped short to her ears and was jet black with a dull sheen. Alexandria let a smug grin come across her face; she could now see why Rosa seemed to dislike her so much.

"Alexandria," Rosa's strong voice brought her attention to her rather than her features and she grunted in response. Rosa sighed before jade eyes found emerald-sapphire ones.

"Listen, I need you to speak to me, and it's important that you do," she said and Alexandria simply shrugged. Rosa smiled at the girl and felt satisfaction run through her.

"Let's begin with Paolo," she started and Alexandria's eyes widened before she set her gaze on the water between them.

"What about him?" she mumbled stiffly and Rosa raised an eyebrow.

"What was your relationship with him," she prodded and Alexandria's shoulders slumped with a sigh, tired and defeated eyes lifting to meet her own.

"Honestly, Rosa," she began, "I was his wife, and I hated him."

Rosa's eyebrows shot up at the simple statement before asking, "Why?", and Alexandria let out an uncharacteristic low guttural growl.

"Because that man was detestable! Even though he had his moments where he was actually quite kind, there was always some hidden malice in every word, every action, every _thought_ he had; and I was to _marry_ him! I strongly disliked him."

"Then why did you marry him," Rosa asked. She was genuinely curious; didn't people marry for love? Alexandria ran a wet hand through her dry hair and her lips settled into an angry grim line.

"My step-father made me, that deceitful bastard," she spat and slapped her hand on the water, causing water to splash into both their faces.

"Your," Rosa started slowly, confused at what she said, "step-father? He is not your biological father?"

Alexandria looked at her with something akin to disbelief on her face before letting out a mirthless laugh. "Oh gods, no. My father was nothing like that worm."

Rosa sat back against the edge of the bath and leaned her elbow on the higher leveled surface and played with her short hair.

"Well, this changes things," she said flatly and Alexandria curiously looked at her.

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I thought you were on par with the Templars. Paolo was a Templar, and I'm beginning to suspect your step-father is one too," she trailed off slowly and searched Alexandria's face for anything that would say she understood, but found nothing.

Alexandria sat in the steaming waters genuinely confused.

_Templars_, she thought, _the hell are those?_

She voiced her question and Rosa tensed before answering, "The Knights Templar, under Rodrigo Borgia's command they seek to create a perfect world by any means necessary. They control Venice and are irrevocably evil, and they must be stopped. They are identified by the red cross that they wear."

Still confused, all Alexandria did was tuck a strand of hair behind her ear and nod slowly. Suddenly, she remembered Paolo's letter in the Leonardo's house—it had the red cross Rosa spoke of.

"Rosa," she said in a no nonsense voice, "the letter you and Signore Auditore were looking at earlier, where did you get it?"

"Oh, that? We sent Ezio to get that from Paolo's room," Rosa responded dismissively and dipped her head under the water, not noticing Alexandria's shocked face.

"I'm sorry, _when _did this happen?" she asked incredulously when Rosa resurfaced.

"Last night. Ezio was sent to retrieve the letter that Rodrigo Borgia had sent out to all of his high-ranking Templar knights. "Rosa said as she leaned back.

Alexandria breathed in deeply and asked bitterly, "And I suppose he was to kill Paolo then, too."

Rosa nodded and then smirked, "Thanks for making his job easier, Alexandria."

Alexandria scoffed and also dipped her head under the water. There was nothing to thank her for. She was a murderer, and murderers go to Hell. She shuddered at the thought, how many times had her mother told her of the commandments and she laughed at them? Now, no matter what she did, she would go to Hell for taking the life of a man. After pulling her head out of the water, she resumed washing herself and then asked,

"And what did this letter contain, Rosa? I did not have the chance to look at it because Paolo would not allow it. Could you tell me what it said?"

Rosa raised an eyebrow before shrugging; it wasn't like Alexandria knew about the topic anyways.

"It was a letter ordering people on the attached list to be killed—people who got in the way of the Templars. Of course Borgia ordered this." She said as she pulled herself out of the bath and draped a towel around her form.

Alexandria followed suit but instead of drying herself, she moved to quickly dress herself. She settled her deep blue eyes on Rosa as she wrung her hair of excess water.

"May I see this letter when we return to Signore Da Vinci's workshop?" she asked politely through gritted teeth. Rosa aggravated her with her cool demeanor and attitude.

Rosa nodded and quickly dressed before both women walked out of the bath house after paying for their stay. She reminded herself that Alexandria wouldn't know about the names, so it was fine, but she couldn't help but feel she was overlooking something.

* * *

Upon arriving at Leonardo's workshop, Alexandria rushed towards the kitchen where the letter was resting on the table. She quickly snatched it up and scanned all the names that were written in delicate calligraphy. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit her and the letter slipped out of her hands and floated to the floor.

Yes, the letter w_as _nothing special considering the fact that the men those names belonged to were dead. Some dating back to a decade ago. However, there were three names that stood out from all the rest, three names that were listed one after the other and were crossed out with one of Paolo's blue inked plumes.

_Demetri Conti _

_Niccolo Conti_

_Eliodoro Conti_

Theyrepeated in her head and she whimpered in pain as memories assaulted her—memories of her running around with her brothers, reading with her father, and of the time she found their dead bodies. As suddenly as the pain came, it was gone and replaced with anger and a need for vengeance.

_Borgia_, he was behind it all. He ordered the deaths of her beloved kin, of her most precious people.

And she would get her revenge.

* * *

**Sorry guys, the end was a bit rushed since I have a major headache and am currently in an argument with my boyfriend so I was distracted and not in the mood to write. :/ **

**Also, this story will have a short hiatus until I get motivated to write about Assassin's Creed again and am not so busy with school. Sooooo sorrryyy! **


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